All recovered, but was inspired to write another poem.
An Ode to Covid
John Ehrenfeld
January, 2023
I’m now about seven days infected.
Which variant has me I do not know.
I cannot say; it came unsuspected
Though for weeks I’ve waited for it to show.
For three years, Covid has honored my age.
It has kept itself very far away,
While my immunity erected a cage
That has kept the worst of its scourge at bay.
The virus finally slipped through my screen
And took hold of some vulnerable cell.
Hungering for a most desirable gene,
Its spikes penetrated the outer shell.
Quickly multiplying, it went to work
Setting my immune system in action.
No help at first, just a feverish murk
And, what’s worse, an unpleasant reaction.
Aches everywhere and general malaise
But not too serious. My lungs stayed clear
And I escaped the dreaded mental daze
That sent others to the ER in fear.
I asked for Paxlovid to soften the blow.
My primary doctor quickly demurred.
I already take too many meds so
Its complete safety could not be assured.
Still tired and stuffed up, my daily test
Shows me the virus continues to hang round.
I am bored, but the CDC knows best.
I’ll stay in till no virus can be found.